The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1887-02-24

favor of not only submitting the ques-
ton Of prohibition to the people, but if
majority vote obtained to pass a prohib.
itory ordinance. The petition in fact
reads that way. 1t is not true that all
Of the 200 signers were in favor of pro-
hibitory ordinance. Some of the most
prominent business men who signed it
told me they were opposed to prohibi-
tory ordinance, and would vote against
one. So did other signers tell other
members Of the Council the same thing.
They also said they so informed the gen.
tlemen canvassing for signatures. Yet
these canvassers accepted such sigma
lures, and thereby, knowingly or un-
knowingly, were guilty of an imposition
upon Council. As to how many were
really opposed to prohibitory ordinance
it is impossible to say; but the number |
who so represented themselves as op-
posed to it was sufficient to put cloud
upon the petition, and that is the reason
it did not receive the consideration |
claimed for it so far as am concerned.
There were some who said they did
not read the petition, and understood it
was simply asking for submission OF
the question to the people for vote. 1t
was unfair and unjust for this latter
class, together with those who signed,
knowing they were opposed to prohibi-
tory ordinance, to shove upon Council
the responsibility they were, for reasons
best known to themselves, unwilling to
bear. The Dow law makes no provision
for any such submission to the people,
and there is no law authorizing Council
to incur the expense of such election
The law placed upon Council the respon-
sibility of passing or not passing pro-
hibitory ordinance. could not find it
my duty to vote for submission, as I
was not willing to take the responsibility
of voting for the ordinance even if a ma
jority of votes was obtained. 1t is my
conviction that the time for passing such
prohibitory law has not come. The Dow
law, with the local option feature in it,
has really only been operative since the
decision of the Supreme Court-hardly
three months.
1t is legislative action only, and is liza.
BILE to be repealed entire or in part by
the Legislature next winter, especially
if it is Democratic. I thought it ought
to stand the test of another Legislature.
If the law in the meantime becomes so
strong with the people that neither the
Republican or Democratic parties dare
touch it except to increase its efficiency,
then was the time pass prohibitory or
dinance, with the better chance of per-
manent success than the situation now
invites. believed the people and voters
of Hillsboro are not now ready to enforce
the ordinance if Council does pass one.
The law without healthy and strong
backing of the people is only like the
Quaker guns the Rebels used on the
Potomac during our civil war. Why are
the people not ready?
LIST. The long period Of time (since
1854 in which We have had free trade
in whisky, under prohibitory laws, has
brought about habits and customs that
are hard to break up, and weakened, il
not destroyed, the faith of the people in
such laws. There must be some recov.
cry from such want of confidence.
I'd. The business men and other influ.
ential men of the town are divided on
the question, and numbers would not dc
anything to see the ordinance enforced
There would be an indifference in the
matter by this large number of influen
tial citizens which would be bar to the
successful enforcement of the ordinance
Sd. Some of the best citizens thinl
that if the saloons were closed it woulG
be only to open out again Immediately
, outside OF the corporation, where they
= would be wholly without restraint, ,weel
a days and Sundays.
, There are other cogent reasons tina
can be given, but want OF space forbids
1 gave the matter the best thought
i could, and after looking over the whel
field, I could not bring myself to consen
to either submitting to vote or passini
the ordinance. As temperance man
was against prohibitory action at tn
:. present time. A temporary success
9 might be obtained, but are their goo'
reasons existing to hope for anythln
! else?
i A great mistake is made by tempe,
ance people who concentrate their dc
nunciation alone upon the saloons. The
;. overlook the necessity of reaching, i
some way, the thousands of people VIII
: maintain these saloons by their patror
= age, and who, in my judgment, az
= |. equally responsible with the saloor
, keeper for the existence of such place
. Let the local option feature OF the Do
8 law stand. and make a combined an
. ! serious effort to reach these people, an
!. within reasonable time public sent
Y ment may be created to effectually cloi
= u the saloons. as5
% My convictions remain unchange'
, even after changing my vote in favor
I L. A. 4